Improvement in means for buoying and stopping holes in vessels



JHW, COOPER.

Means for Buo ying and Stopping Holes in Vessels.

N0.:136,817. PatentedMarch18J873.

AM. PHOTO-UTIIDSRAPH/c ca MK {mam/V519 mack-5g) UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN W. COOPER, OF HUBBARD, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO AMOS E. ROGERS,

OF LA GRANDE, OREGON, AND CYRUS noose, or NEWCASTLE, PENN-1" SYLVANIA, TRUSTEES.

IMPROVEMENT IN MEANS FOR BUOYING AND STOPPING HOLES IN VESSELS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 136,817, dated March 18, 1873.

To all whom may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN W. COOPER, of

Hubbard, in the county of Trumbull and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful ;Improvement in Buoying and Stopping"Leaks in Vessels; and I do hereby declare/the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had'to the accompanying drawing forming a part'of this specification. V

The invention consists ina novel'mode of applyingflat, flexible, and inflatable air-tight bags to vessels in order to stop leaks in the vessel, and covering and partially filling the opening a in its side, and thereby stopping leakage thereat. The bag B is inflated for use by an air-pump of'ordinary construction, and which may be located at anyconvenient place on the deck, and connected to the bag by means of a flexible tube, 0. At its lower edge the bag is provided with a series of hooks, (I, for the purpose of connecting it with a rope, E, which extends along the keel from the bow to the stern of the vessel, and thence passes upward through tubes (3, and connect at their ends with windlasses, by means of which the bag B is drawn down into position for use up on the side of the vessel. At suitable dis-' tances apart between the bow and stern of the vessel the ropeE is connected by other ropes, which also pass upward through tubes 0, and are connected with and operated by means of windlasses D, (only one being shown.) A small rope, b, passing over the side of the vessel about midships, and connecting with the rope E, serves to enable the latter to be drawn up into position to allow the bag to be hooked upon it previous to its being drawn into the position to stop a leak in the vessels side.

After being drawn down or stretched, the bag is inflated, as before mentioned, when the pressure of the water serves to hold it fixedly against the side of the vessel, and thus prevent leakage at the breach therein. Any water which may have forced its way into the leak having been pumped or bailed out, the vessel is prepared to move forward to its destination.

1 A single bag may cover a whole side of the vessel, or there may be several difierent ones, each of which may be Wound separately, as circumstances may require.

These bags are detachable, and may be removed and stowed away in the hold of a vessel, very little space being required to accommodate them.

Having thus described my invention, what 1 clainias new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

A flat, flexible, and inflatable bag, B, secured to the gnnwale, and stretching-cords passing down the side of the vessel, up through the tubes 0, and connecting with windlasses D on deck, all as shown and described, whercby said bag may be adjusted to cover a breach at any point in the side of the vessel, as set forth.

JOHN W. COOPER. Witnesses:

801.0 (J. KEMON, CHAS. A. PETTIT. 

